


Back to Center

by thealphagate_archivist



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-04-01
Updated: 2006-04-01
Packaged: 2019-02-02 17:57:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12731475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thealphagate_archivist/pseuds/thealphagate_archivist
Summary: A little sap, a little smooching, a little sweetness.





	Back to Center

**Author's Note:**

> Note from the archivists: this story was originally archived at [The Alpha Gate](https://fanlore.org/wiki/The_Alpha_Gate), a Stargate SG-1 archive, which began migration to the AO3 in 2017 when its hosting software, eFiction, was no longer receiving support. To preserve the archive, we began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in November 2017. We e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are this creator and it hasn't transferred to your AO3 account, please contact us using the e-mail address on [The Alpha Gate collection profile](https://archiveofourown.org/collections/thealphagate).

Daniel glanced at the time display on his computer and pushed away from his desk, stretching stiff muscles as he stood. The call for a medical team in the gate room had shattered his concentration hours ago as a unit other than his own had come back through the gate in pieces. Since then he had been fighting an uphill battle trying to keep his mind on his work, finding it drifting repeatedly down to the infirmary. As a result he was getting nowhere. It was hard enough to wade through obscure dialects of goa'uld when his brain was focused on the task at hand. When half of it was focused on Janet it was impossible. Finally admitting defeat, he turned off his computer and allowed himself a trip to the infirmary to put his mind at ease. It had been a rough week for the SGC, the call for medics ringing through the halls almost daily. Hammond was frustrated by the steadily increasing number of tactical missions going awry. The team leaders were antsy from the tension of too many goa'uld encounters. The team members were jumpy from the plethora of murmurings circulating through the ranks about jinxes, bad luck and a general loss of military mojo. Then there was the infirmary staff. They were worn out, unsettled and cringed every time the strobes went off announcing an incoming wormhole. Everybody needed a break, but until the tide turned no one would be getting one, the senior members of the staff on call until further notice. 

Knowing Janet didn't need distractions when she was up to her eyebrows in medical emergencies Daniel had been staying out of her way lately while they were at work, giving her plenty of time after a call before venturing anywhere near her office. By his count three hours qualified as plenty of time. He strode down the hall, tentative plans for the weekend swirling in his head, more than half of them involving Janet and none of them involving goa'uld translations. After six days on call and being paged back to the SGC in the middle of the night more than once, Janet was finally getting a day off. Not an entire weekend, after all, the curse had yet to be lifted, but a day was better than nothing. It was relatively quiet when Daniel stepped into the infirmary. Nearly every bed was full, the patients settled for the time being, most of them asleep. Glancing at the soldiers as he walked by, making note of familiar faces he headed for Janet's office. She was sitting behind her desk, head bent over a chart and a hand shoved into her hair, her grip on the strands partially holding her head up. He knocked softly on the door jam and immediately noticed the weariness in her face when she raised it to look at him.

"How's it going down here?" he greeted.

"Don't ask." She replied.

He continued into the room studying her as he went, concerned by what he saw. There was a red tint to her eyes that spoke of exhaustion, highlighted by the dark shadows under them. Her shoulders sagged as she sat back in the chair, hair slightly mussed from her hands. Her starched uniform still fastened at her neck seemed oddly crisp when compared to the woman inside who looked haggard and on the verge of collapse. 

"What's going on?" he asked, settling on the edge of the desk. Janet shook her head, lower lip quivering until she secured it between her teeth, a motion that in some situations might have aroused him. Now it only disturbed him.

"Janet?" he reached out to touch her face, but she moved away from him almost immediately.

"Not right now, Daniel. Please." She said, eyes rimmed with tears. "What happened?" he asked, making no attempt to hide his growing concern.

"Whitmore's dead." She sniffled.

"Whitmore?"

"Sergeant Whitmore, the newest member of SG-8."

"Was he the emergency call?"

"Yes." She swallowed. "He and Captain Campbell were caught off guard. We tried to save him, but...It wasn't enough."

"I'm sorry." He offered."

She nodded, her gaze sliding down to the desktop even as Daniel reached for the hands that were gripping each other on top of the report.

"Please, Daniel." Again she pulled out of his reach this time getting to her feet. "I can't fall apart right now and if you keep trying to touch me that's exactly what's going to happen."

"OK." He agreed quietly, much more concerned than annoyed. She looked ready to shatter, something he had never seen in her before and to say he was worried was rapidly becoming an understatement. Even so, he knew how important it was to her to appear to be the ultimate professional. Her position as Senior Medical Officer of the SGC had been hard won and she intended to act every inch the part. Despite the obvious emotional turmoil playing just under the surface, crying like a child behind her desk would be falling far short of the mark as far as she was concerned and obviously she was not about to let that happen. While he didn't understand the need to turn detachment into an art form, he was at least willing to respect it. So, determined to keep his hands to himself no matter how badly he wanted to comfort her, he got up from the desk.

"You working late tonight?" he asked, his tone offering the gentle caress she wouldn't accept from his hands.

"Not if I can help it." She sniffled.

"Let me know when you're ready to go." He said. "I'll be in my office." 

"I will." She assured him. "I'm sorry, Daniel."

"It's OK." He smiled, the expression sliding quickly away leaving the unmistakable look of concern in its place. "Let me know if you need anything." He added before turning to make his way back through the infirmary.

It was hard to see her hurting and not be allowed to help. Harder still to drag his attention away from thoughts of her and back to the translation, but somehow he managed it. Unfortunately only five minutes before she appeared weary and worn in his office ready to leave. Making a few final notes he attempted to stack things in a semi-ordered pile, grabbed his jacket and turned off the lights. With nothing more than a glance he could see she was dangerously close to falling apart as they walked in silence to the elevator, building emotion severely testing her ability to keep the façade in place.

"You look tired. Do you want me to follow you home?" he asked quietly, hands in his pockets.

"It might be better if you drive. I don't know that I'm up to it." He nodded agreement as he ushered her into the elevator and up to the surface making every attempt to respect the fragile hold she had on her emotions. To that end he kept the conversation to a minimum and his hands to himself as he walked her out to the parking lot and settled her inside his car. 

Just as he had predicted Janet fought the steadily advancing internal tidal wave to the bitter end, managing to hold her tears at bay until after they had passed the main sentry station. However, the moment they left Air Force property and were safely out of view she melted into a trembling bundle of tears. Daniel pulled his car over to the side of the road when the first sob escaped her and whipped off his seatbelt. Sliding his seat back on its tracks he reached over and tugged Janet into his arms, tucking her securely against him and holding the overstressed, overtired doctor until she ran out of tears. 

"Bad end to a bad week?" He mumbled into her hair to which she nodded.

"I'm sorry I pushed you away." She offered, wiping at her face as she pulled away from him. "I was this close to losing it."

"It's OK." He rested a hand on her damp cheek, stroking her face. 

"You gave me that look and it nearly did me in." she continued, sniffling. 

"What look?"

"That 'let me make it all better' look."

"I didn't realize I had one of those." He said thoughtfully. 

"Trust me, you do. And it's very hard to keep it together when you do that." She answered. 

"I'm sorry."

"It's not a bad thing, Daniel." She offered a tired smile. "It just makes it hard for a girl to keep up the act, that's all."

"Well now that you're off the clock and, I assume, allowed to drop 'the act' why don't I take you home. Maybe settle you into a nice, warm bath with a few candles, some music, a little peace and quiet..."

"That sounds nice." She sighed, settling back against him. "You're too good to me, you know."

"Not possible." He smiled. Janet shuffled through the front door and caught a glimpse of Cassie stretched out on her stomach on the floor, head propped up in her hands as she stared at the television. Rolling onto her right hip, the girl strained to see the entry way without actually getting up, a smile of recognition warming her face. "Hi Mom." She said, the smile turning to a thousand-watt grin when she saw Janet's companion. "Hi Daniel." She added, bouncing up off the carpet. 

Of her barely extended family "Uncle Jack" was undeniably her favorite, Daniel coming in a close second. Janet fell somewhere between Sam and Teal'c, but she didn't mind. She was boring old "Mom" and it suited her just fine. 

Cassie bounced across the living room to greet them, but the enthusiasm faded when she finally got a good look at Janet. "What's wrong? What happened?" she asked, the smile sliding from her face.

"Just a rough day, Sweetheart. I'm fine." Janet kissed her forehead.

"I'm going to start the water." Daniel announced squeezing Janet's shoulder and briefly stroking Cassie's hair before heading for the stairs.

"So what happened?" Cassie asked, following her into the living room.

"I lost a patient this afternoon."

"I'm sorry, Mom." Cassie hugged her, squeezing her shoulders with arms that seemed to grow longer every day, attempting to keep up with her legs.

"Thank you, Honey." Janet sniffled, struggling to hold back the tears filling her eyes again.

"Who was he?"

"You didn't know him." She assured the girl. "What are you watching?" Janet asked, changing the subject as they stood together in the middle of the living room.

"CSI." Cassie grinned, arms still around her. "Want to watch?"

"I think I've had enough of that sort of thing for today."

"OK, you're all set." Daniel announced coming back down the stairs. "By the time you get undressed you'll have a full tub."

Janet turned toward him, watching him descend the last few steps, an odd mixture of determination and tenderness in his face. 

"Thanks." She smiled, the expression feeling awkward, Janet suspecting it had come out more as a grimace. A nice, long bath had sounded like the perfect suggestion on the drive over. It had always been one of her favorite rewards after a long, hard day, but now that she was home she wasn't so sure. The idea of being alone bothered her despite the promise of soothing warm water and soft jazz on the radio. Part of her wanted to curl up on the couch with Daniel and Cassie for company and stare at the television letting it drive away the memories of the afternoon, smothering them with inane babble and canned laughter. Part of her wanted to do nothing, but sleep. Maybe she would skip the bath and just go up to bed. Standing transfixed on the carpet she realized she really had no idea what she wanted. She felt off balance, things having been shoved out of focus and she wasn't sure how to fix it. 

"This way." Daniel prodded gently, taking Cassie's place at her side and pointing her toward the stairs.

Janet stroked his arm and trudged up the steps trying to convince herself that a good soak in the tub would put everything back in proper perspective. Daniel having gone to the trouble of providing her with a little time to herself made it at least worth a try. Between work and the ever-present cacophony of sound that surrounded her teenage daughter she didn't get peace and quiet very often. If it didn't work Janet reminded herself she could always get dressed and come back downstairs when she was sufficiently soaked, fingers and toes turned to prunes.

Closing herself in the bedroom, Janet stripped quickly out of her clothes leaving them piled in a heap on the floor. Her uniform was clean as always, but for some reason when she looked at it abandoned on the carpet she expected to see it covered in blood. She could almost feel the slight weight of the substance on her skin and wiped absently at arms that showed no more signs of the gore of the operating room than her clothes. Moving more on automatic pilot than conscious thought, Janet retrieved her robe from the back of the bathroom door and wrapped it around herself before turning off the water on the now full bathtub. Daniel had gone out of his way to sooth her jangled nerves: lavender bath crystals in the water, soft music playing on the radio, a handful of candles burning in various places around the room. Janet stood staring at the scene reminding herself that sometimes he really was too good to be true. Despite the peaceful surroundings her thoughts quickly drifted as scattered memories of the day began gathering from the corners of her mind. Within minutes she found herself transported back to the operating room, gloved hands covered with blood, a ruined body stretched out on the table in front of her. Sterile mint green drapes covered the few parts of it that didn't require her attention, but there was no hiding the fact that under them lay a young soldier sliding steadily toward death. There had been so many of them, nearly a surgery a day, but Whitmore had been the worst by far. She had known even before she had started demanding instruments that her best efforts wouldn't be enough. 

Her mind alive with the memory of a week's worth of faces and mangled bodies, suddenly all Janet wanted was to climb into bed, pull the covers over her head and not come out for days. 

Blood, gore and stress came in ample doses in a trauma center. She had learned that well enough during her ER rotation in medical school. Detachment was a necessity, one she did her best to employ, but it was difficult when every patient was a familiar face, some much more familiar than others. 

Out in the wide world of medicine treating friends and family was frowned upon, an attempt to prevent situations where personal feelings clouded judgement. However, as with nearly everything else, the military had its own rules. In the SGC it was an impossible request to steer clear of treating people who were close to you because soldiers who joined their ranks as strangers didn't stay that way for long. It was a tight knit community drawn together by life threatening situations and closely guarded secrets. Every wound she treated was on a body she was at the very least relatively familiar with. She saw them in the halls, talked with them in the commissary, inspected them after every mission and in some cases became quite attached to them. Having them wheeled in to her on a gurney with staff burns and gaping wounds shook her and there was simply no way to avoid it. Having a steady stream of them over the course of a week had rattled her. Having the last one die on the table at the age of 21 had been a bit more than she could take. Janet wandered from the bathroom and sat on the edge of the bed toying with the idea of climbing in, hating the thought of Daniel's consideration going to waste, but much more in the mood to hide than soak. A quiet tapping on the bedroom door barely registered through her thoughts a second before she heard it open on the other side of the room. 

"You OK in here?" Daniel asked softly, his barely audible footfalls moving across the carpet toward her.

"Not really." She admitted with a heavy sigh, hands rested in her lap and her eyes on the floor.

"Get distracted?" he asked appearing beside her.

"Something like that." She said. "I'm not sure I'm in the mood for a bath any more. Actually, I'm not sure what I'm in the mood for."

Janet felt Daniel's hand on her head a moment before he crouched down to the floor in front of her capturing her attention, his tender expression instantly inspiring tears. 

"What can I do?" he asked, taking her hands in his.

"I don't know." She swallowed. "I'm just..." she shrugged.

Daniel's gaze swept over her, taking in details, before finally settling on her face, watching, studying, searching for the answer. Somewhere in her eyes he seemed to find it and without a word perched beside her on the bed, collecting her in his arms and holding her tightly, his chin rested on top of her head. Janet settled into him, clinging to him as silent tears trailed down her face.

"I sent Cassie to the movies with her friends." He quietly informed her. "You have the place to yourself if you want it."

It was a sweet gesture, but with him beside her she was beginning to realize being alone was the last thing she wanted. She needed company to keep the memories in her head from completely overwhelming her. An outside influence to guide her thoughts in another direction.

"Will you stay?" she asked.

"As long as you want." 

Janet burrowed closer to him, a measure of the misery fading and the bath all but forgotten as she realized the one thing she really needed was sitting next to her with his arms wrapped around her. An hours long cuddle on the bed with the television tuned to something at least mildly amusing and maybe she would get through the night without completely losing it. "Why don't I go put out the candles before we cover your bathroom in wax." He suggested quietly, breaking the silence.

At the suggestion, the bathroom scene reappeared in her mind: the soft music she could barely hear from where they sat on the bed, warm water, candles and Janet suddenly found herself having second thoughts about wasting the opportunity. She wanted to be close to him, to feel him, smell him, have him invade her senses completely until there was no room for scenes of destruction and death.

"Do you think the water's still warm?" she asked.

"Probably. Why? Change your mind?" 

"I think so." She admitted, lifting her head from his chest. "In the mood for a bath?"

A smile slowly crept across his face, blue eyes sparkling. 

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"Very." She assured him. "I need some TLC and you're just the man for the job." Janet slid from his arms and tugged him up from the bed by his hand, leading him into the bathroom, the scene exactly the way she had left it. "I don't mind sharing if you don't." she offered.

"Actually, I prefer it that way." He replied with a wicked grin that quickly melted into a look of tender desire as his hand found her face, fingers sliding into her hair, thumb gently caressing her cheek. Touching her the way she knew he had wanted to hours earlier in her office.

His fingers trailed along her jaw, finally coming to rest under her chin, his thumb giving it one last swipe before breaking contact, though his eyes never left her. Even as he shed his clothes he kept them on her, not bothering to hide the hunger burning in them, his gaze melting her as it traveled across her still robed body. Completely naked he moved the short distance to her and took her face gently in his hands, smiling down at her. The look of need in his eyes stilled the air in her chest, Janet eagerly kissing him when his lips finally met hers. Arms around his middle, she pressed herself against him attempting to mold herself to his solid form. She could feel the heat radiating from him, warming her, melting the cold despair that had taken up residence in her days ago. 

Daniel's hands slowly roamed her body, caressing her, working their way into her hair before temporarily settling under her arms as he lifted her off the floor. Carrying her the few steps to the tub he set her carefully on the edge and found himself looking up into her face. It was Janet's turn to smile down at him as she burrowed her fingers into his short hair, tugging his head back and attacking his neck, Daniel willingly submitting to the assault. 

"We're going to...have to start this someplace...other than the tub." He managed to say as she sucked at his earlobe, the ability to speak coherently fading in and out. "One of us might drown...in the attempt." "The bed's free." She breathed working her way back to his mouth and wrapping herself around him as he once again picked her up and carried her across the room this time gently resting her back on the bed where they had started. Daniel hovered over her kissing and licking his way down her neck, nibbling on her collarbone, taking his sweet time and making Janet wish he still had clothes on if only to give her something to use to pull him closer. Fingers again in his hair, she guided him back to her face, shifting her body under him until he was settled between her legs, though to her disappointment he didn't stay there. "We're not quite there yet." He said, pushing away from her, pulling her hands from his neck. "First..." Kneeling between her legs Daniel untied the belt around her waist and peeled the robe open revealing the smooth plane of skin underneath. Hands sliding around her middle he bent and kissed her stomach reverently before his mouth began roaming over her newly revealed flesh, fingers trailing along her skin like a wall of hieroglyphs. With the same riveted attention he gave the artifacts that fascinated him he pored over her body, stroking, kissing, nipping, tasting her as if exploring new territory. She loved it when he made love to her like this, reinventing the ritual, his movements guided by her reactions as he paid homage to her with his touch. Finally when she was breathless and pleading for more than his mouth and hands could give Daniel slid gently into her, filling her, moving in her with slow, steady strokes that had her shivering with pleasure. She breathed his name as he nibbled his way up her neck before rolling with her, leaving her straddled him. Hands on her hips he guided her attempting to keep the rhythm slow and deliberate. However, when she picked up the pace he readily released his hold on her and let her run with it, his hands roaming across her skin as she raced the building wave of pleasure. With her gaze focused intently on his blue eyes she stilled his hands, lacing her fingers with his and leaning into him far enough to pin them to the bed. Bracing herself against his palms Janet ground her hips into him taking him deeper, moaning with every thrust before finally tumbling over the edge, Daniel following, her name on his lips as he poured himself into her. 

Content to stay exactly the way they were, Janet leaned forward and kissed the sweat covered skin on his chest before settling against it listening to the slowing rhythm of his heart. With Daniel's arms around her she felt more relaxed and content than she had all week. Somehow she also felt more fragile. An almost overwhelming feeling of loss flowed through her when he slipped out of her, tears she didn't understand filling her eyes. 

"You ready for that bath?" Daniel asked, Janet feeling the vibration of his voice as much as hearing it. She nodded, not trusting her voice as she lifted her head from his chest. "What's wrong?" he asked seeing the tears in her eyes, concern replacing a good deal of the desire she could still see in his face.

"I think it's just been a very long week." She said, her voice wavering.

Her face again in his hands, he pulled her back to him and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead followed by one on each cheek and finally her lips before climbing from the bed. Taking her hand he led her back into the bathroom, sinking into the barely warm water and pulling her in after him. Nestled between his legs, she leaned back against his chest and settled his arms around her. Daniel held her, kissing what he could reach of her neck and shoulders, eventually releasing her to gently massage her tired and still very tense muscles, bringing her to climax one more time with his touch. When he was finished she lay boneless against him, Daniel playing with her hands, studying her fingers, kissing her palms, occupying himself as the water cooled. 

With Janet pleasantly exhausted and feeling much more like herself they dressed and settled downstairs on the couch, cradled in each other's arms as the clock ticked toward Cassie's return. "How was the movie?" Janet asked when Cassie appeared through the door, making no attempt to rise from her very comfortable position against Daniel's chest.

"It was good. Not Heath Ledger's best work, but with that face we'll forgive him." She grinned. "Lee got bored and started throwing popcorn and almost got us kicked out. He and Melanie left half way through and snuck into something else. Some slasher movie or something. Mel was totally freaked when we left." Cassie chattered away. "Then Lee snuck up behind her in the parking lot and scared her half to death. He can be a complete jerk sometimes.

"I think I ate one too many chocolate covered peanuts, though." She concluded, hand on her stomach. "I'm going to bed."

"Night honey." Janet said.

"Night, Cass." Daniel added as she kissed them both and headed upstairs.

"Thanks, Daniel." Cassie said, pausing on the stairs. "It was a blast."

"You're welcome."

"Yeah, thanks, Daniel." Janet echoed as Cassie disappeared, contorting slightly to reach his mouth.

"You're welcome."


End file.
